Helping hand

The S. Mark Taper Foundation has awarded the Westside Shelter & Hunger Coalition a $10,000 grant for the continuation of its mission to end hunger and homelessness on the Westside through service coordination, public education and advocacy.

“This generous gift is making it possible for the coalition to continue working to find the best ways to help low-income people acquire and retain housing and food at a time when the need is at the highest level we’ve seen in many years,” said John Maceri, chair of the coalition’s Board of Directors and executive director of OPCC, a coalition member providing homeless services in Santa Monica.

The coalition operates under the nonprofit administrative umbrella of Community Partners. Formed in 1982, the coalition is an alliance of more than 40 nonprofit service providers, public agencies and faith communities committed to improving and coordinating social services on the Westside.

The S. Mark Taper Foundation, founded in 1989, is a private family foundation dedicated to enhancing the quality of people’s lives by supporting nonprofit organizations working with communities.